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Our Story

Sunday was Bret and my anniversary, so I thought I’d share how we got together (it’s pretty cute, lol)! We were lucky enough to have Bret’s brothers girlfriend staying with us this past week so she babysat while we celebrated!

Back in 2005, Bret and I were 13 and both attending the school my mom taught at. My mom had been his family’s teacher for a year or two and I was coming to her school for 8th grade since I was having issues at my previous school.

One of the first days I was there, my mom was talking to his mom about how I was new and his mom suggested they introduce me to Bret since we were the same age. So my mom called me back to her desk and Erin called Bret back. Let me tell you, that was such an awkward introduction, haha. I just remember Bret put his hands on his hips while listening to our moms explain my situation and then he stuck his hand out to shake mine. He had glasses and a baggy shirt and, as awkward as he was, I thought he was cute!

That year, we didn’t really talk much. I had a crush on him and would try to talk to him but, even though I’d see him talking to everyone, he’d never talk to me.

Each year, my mom directed two musicals and that year we did Charlie Brown and Pinocchio. We were in both and it was a good way for me to try to get him to talk to me but still nothing. I thought I had it made in Pinocchio because his younger brother, Jon, played Pinocchio and I was the Blue Fairy. My mom put me in charge of Jon because I seemed to be the only one he’d listen to (he was literally attached to my hip!) So I figured if I was looking after Jon, and his twin Nic would come hang with us too, then Bret would for sure hang with us?! Nope. He stayed far away.

Well each year after that, I’d come back to visit the school since it was on my way home from my high school. I’d see Bret and his twin brothers all the time and Bret would say hi to me then. At the musicals, I’d help my mom backstage and Bret would talk to me more then.

It wasn’t until college that he really started talking to me at the plays. Even after he and his brothers had left her school, they would come back to see the musicals too. So sometimes we’d sit together and chat. At the end of my junior year of college, he actually had a full on conversation with me, haha. He also asked me to hang out but he never followed up so it never happened.

We followed each other on Instagram and Snapchat. Sometimes we’d comment on each other’s posts but not much more.

Finally, he messaged me on Snapchat and we started talking during my second year of law school. We talked for about a week when he asked me out on a date. After having a crush on him for 10 years, I was finally going to get a date with this guy.

Our first date was at his house where he cooked me dinner. This first date was so different than any other date I had gone on.

Usually first dates are a bit of a sore subject for me. I usually get very anxious in the days leading up to it and my anxiety will skyrocket so high that I end up canceling the date (only sometimes actually rescheduling). I didn’t date much in high school or the beginning of college but after I was sexually assaulted, dating was the hardest thing to do.

However, my first date with Bret was different. Leading up to it, I was excited. I wasn’t nervous or anxious. I was nervous excited thinking only good could come from this, not terrified anxious where I felt it was going to end badly.

I knocked on his front door and he opened it. He had the biggest smile on his face and gave me the biggest hug. We sat in his backyard at the top of an embankment watching the sun set over Camp Pendleton. His brother, Nic, came out and said hi before leaving.

We spent the rest of the night talking. We told every secret to each other. I told him about my sexual assault, self-harm, and depression. He told me about his past too, which was equally as painful.

I left that night knowing this was the man I wanted to spend my life with. Yes, I know that’s corny (I’m a corny person) but it’s true. I had never felt so safe, loved, happy, and comfortable with someone.

The other part that was interesting that night was Bret telling me his side of our middle school “friendship.” He had had a crush on me since meeting me too. He wouldn’t talk to me because he was too shy so he’d just say hi to me in passing. He even pointed me out to his dad one day saying that he liked me (his dad confirmed this later when I met him, haha).

If someone had told me back in 8th grade when I was 13 that this nerdy-looking boy was going to be mine someday and the father of my child, I’d probably laugh so hard. I’d want to believe it but know there’s no way it’d actually be true.

Every so often one of us will say something like “I can’t believe after all this time we actually got together.” We both used to pray that we’d end up together but it didn’t happen then so we just figured it’d never happen. But, as we know, things happen and prayers get answered on God’s time, not ours. We needed to go out and live our lives and experience all the crazy things life had to offer in order to get back to each other. And I’m very thankful God chose this path for us. I couldn’t imagine my life without Bret by side (or without Amelia, haha).

Friday I wore this adorable shift dress from Boot Barn that has roses all over it. I paired it with booties and a jean jacket for a more relaxed look since we were going to dinner and a movie!